The present invention relates to an apparatus for releasably gripping the tube of a yarn package of a textile machine.
It is known to provide textile machines with a device for releasably gripping the tube of a yarn package in which the tube gripping device includes a pressurized fluid bladder which serves as a drive means for driving a tube engaging member into engagement with a yarn package tube to thereby effect compressive gripping of the tube by the movable tube engaging member and another tube engaging member. However, experience has shown that if such a tube gripping device is mounted on a movable type service unit such as, for example, an automatic tube exchange unit of a ring spinning machine, collisions between the movable service unit and another object can detrimentally lead to damage to the pressure fluid components. Thus, it has been proposed to movably mount the tube engaging members for movement out of their normal operating area upon impact of the movable service unit with an object. However, experience has shown that damage to the pressurized fluid components can occur due to the movement of the tube engaging members in this manner. Accordingly, the need still exists for an improved apparatus of the type for releasably gripping the tube of a yarn package which can reliably protect the pressurized fluid components in the event of a collision between the apparatus and another object.